1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to beverage products, and in particular relates to carbonated beverages containing tea.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Due to the recently discovered benefits of tea polyphenols, tea has emerged to be a growing product, but it has it limitations, that is, the younger population is not consuming the product as they would consume soft drinks. Soft drinks are consumed in large quantities but offer no benefits to the individual other then to quench one""s thirst.
Due to the recent demand for bottled water that doesn""t contain fluoride and filtration systems that filters out the fluoride that is added, the younger population is not getting the required fluoride to keep one""s teeth healthy. This invention would allow all of the healthy benefits of tea including fluoride and polyphenols that are in tea to be consumed as a soft drink. It is desirable for consumer to have available a carbonated beverage having the advantages of tea.
As stated in the University of California at Berkeley Wellness Letter all forms of tea being black, oolong and green are made form the leaf of the Camellia sinenis, like all greens, contain a variety of complex chemicals beneficial to humans. One cup of black tea contains enough fluoride to help prevent tooth decay, and green tea has twice as much. Tea contains about 40 milligrams per cup of caffeine. Tea contains phytochemicals known as polyphenols. At least half of these act as antioxidants.
Green tea, in fact, contains large quantities of polyphenols, plus other potentially beneficial phytochemicals. A cup of tea brew contains 300 to 400 milligrams of polyphenols, and they constitute from 8 to 12% of the dried weight of green tea. One of these polyphenols, known as EGCG, is found in no other plant, and constitutes half of all green tea polyphenols and it is one of the most potent antioxidants yet discovered. Black tea is less potent, but still has some polyphenols and possibly its own form of beneficial substances.
It is known that tea contains 300-2000 ppm of fluoride of which more than 50% is present in the tea extract. In a comparison to a case of not drinking tea, a case of drinking tea has been found to be preventive in the development of tooth decay and this has been reported to be due to the presence of fluoride in tea.
As stated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,845,220 coffee carbonated beverage contains an enzymatically-treated coffee liquid and a suitable amount of carbonated water. In an experiment between the coffee, tea and root beer, the coffee produced the most foam with the tea second the root beer third. Because the inventor wants to keep the product as healthy and natural as possible the use of enzymatic treatment to reduce the foam has been eliminated.
Again as stated in U.S. Pat. No. 4732773 instant beverage, instant tea, instant tea beverage, instant fruit tea, and instant fruit tea beverage in the form of a powder, granules or paste are prepared by using a protein as a carrier in which protein is dispersible and/or soluble in a liquid. Because of the protein addition as stated in the above patent the product with added carbonation would foam making it impractical to carbonate. In addition the product doesn""t offer it as decaffeinated which would be a healthier option for babies and infants.
Disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,565 composition for strengthening acid resistancy of teeth. This invention is in the form of a toothpaste, tooth powder or a mouthwash that uses at least one tea polyphenol, fluoride and aluminum salt in a concentrate to strengthen the acid resistancy of teeth but does not offer it in a drink or more specifically a carbonated drink. The aluminum salt was omitted in this present invention do to the adverse affect it would have on the taste of the invention.
In addition, due to the fact that carbonated soft drinks are extremely popular but lack the beneficial health benefits; an improved healthier soft drink with fluoride and polyphenols would be beneficial.
In view of these circumstances, in order to realize greater consumption of like beverages, the present inventor conducted repeated research with the intention of uniting tea with its beneficial properties and carbonated drinks. As a result, the carbonated beverage, according to the present invention in which tea with its fluoride and polyphenols is mixed with carbonated water has been finally accomplished. Up until now the possibility to provide a carbonated beverage containing tea to strengthen the acid resistancy of teeth has not been put to practical use.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a carbonated beverage containing tea.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a carbonated beverage, which contains the benefits of strengthing the acid resistancy of teeth.
These and other objects of the invention will become obvious from the following descriptions and examples.
This invention relates to a storage-stable carbonated beverage that will provide fluoride and polyphenols of tea to the population to strengthen the acid resistancy of teeth. The beverage is comprised of water, carbon dioxide, tea and sweetener.
This invention comes up with a way to provide a carbonated beverage containing fluoride and polyphenols. The invention proposes a way to provide carbonated beverage containing fluoride and polyphenols to the general public by using tea extraction that contains the fluoride and polyphenols as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,565. The tea extract containing the fluoride and polyphenols now can be used to make a syrup consisting of a sweetener and carbonated water to produce carbonated beverage.
This product contains tea extracts, sweetener, purified water and carbonation (CO2).
Water, the major ingredient in soft drinks, is the vehicle or liquid portion in which the remaining ingredients are dissolved or dispersed. Purified water is used in the manufacturing of soft drinks and in the beverage of the present invention. In order not to adversely affect beverage taste, odor or appearance, standard beverage quality water is required. The water must be clear, colorless, and low in alkalinity, free from objectionable minerals, odors, taste and organic matter and of acceptable microbiological quality based on the industry and governmental standards. Water is present in the beverage at a level of from 65% to 99.9% weight of the beverage.
Natural crystalline or liquid sweeteners such as sucrose, glucose levulose, invert sugar, fructose, high fructose corn syrup and others can be used. To achieve the desired beverage uniformity, texture, and taste, standard liquid sugars, as are commonly employed in the beverage industry can be used. Artificial or non-nutritive sweeteners are also suitable for use in the present invention such sweeteners include saccharin, cyclamate, aspartame, other dipeptides, acesulfame potassium and others. Natural sweeteners are present in an amount of about 0.001% to 30% by weight of the beverage. Non-natural sweeteners are added in milligrams per fluid ounces and according to sweetening power.
Tea is extracted from tea leaves from the plant Camellia sinenis in water at a temperature of 90 to 93 degrees C. The tea extract can be evaporated to reduce the water content to about half to form a concentrate extract. The tea extract can also be put through a spray drying process, which consists of dispersion of the concentrate into very fine droplets. The droplets are mixed with a stream of hot air, which quickly evaporates the water forming dry tea particles, than separation of the tea from the air. The tea extract contains 100-2000 ppm of fluoride and 10-2000 ppm of polyphenols. The tea polyphenols may be in the form of tea catechins or theaflavins. Tea polyphenols contain catechin, C(+); epicatechin, EC(xe2x88x92); gallocatechin, GC(+); epigallocatechin EGC(xe2x88x92); epicatechin gallate, Ecg(xe2x88x92); gallocatechin gallate GCg(xe2x88x92); epigallocatechin gallate EGCg(xe2x88x92). Tea extract is present in the amount of 0.001% to 30%. The tea extract can also contain natural and artificial color.
Carbon dioxide provides effervescence to the beverage of the present invention. Any type of carbonation equipment can be used. Carbon dioxide enhances the beverage taste and appearance and aids in the safeguarding of the beverage purity and improve the acid resistancy of teeth by inhibiting and destroying bacteria by reducing the oxygen in the product, container it is stored in, and on and around the teeth. Since there is a definite relationship between taste and carbonation, it is important to maintain the carbonation within the desired range. The beverage of the present invention has a carbon dioxide level from about 0.5 to 17 volumes of carbon dioxide. One volume of carbon dioxide is defined as the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by any given quantity of water at 60 degrees F. temperature and atmospheric pressure. A volume of gas occupies the same space, as does the water by which it is absorbed.
Acid is used in carbonated beverages to add tartness and act as a mild preservative. Acids that can be used in the present invention are phosphoric, citric, malic, tartaric, lactic, formic, ascorbic, hydrochloric, sulfuric, fumaric and adipic. Carbonation itself adds acid to the beverage. The acid used in solution form can be in the amount of 0% to 0.5% by weight. Benzoic acid, sodium benzoate or other suitable compounds can be added as a preservative. Caffeine can be eliminated from this product. Flavors can vary depending on what tea is used. Minor ingredients can be reasonably altered or eliminated without departing from the scope of this invention.
Fluoride can be naturally found in tea in the amount of 100-2000ppm. Fluoride also can be added in the form of Sodium Fluoride (NaF), Calcium Fluoride (CaF), Fuorsilicic acid (H2SiF6), Fluorine (F) or other fluorides. Fluoride exists as a fluoroapatite in the enamel of teeth, and it is well known that it strengthens the acid resistancy of the enamel to reduce cavities. Fluoride is present in the amount of 0.0001% to 5%.